


still breathing

by FinalDestiny13



Series: if you're going through hell, keep on going [7]
Category: Constantine (TV), Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Soulmate AU, aaron is found but not in the state she should be, and his wrath makes others wish to die then be on the end of that stick, graphic (?) depiction of torture, he also wants to check in on aaron and see how she's doing, john is on the hunt, just know that torture is going on, lucifer gets serious, lucifer is pissed, maze is having none of your shenanigans lucifer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 13:28:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6376822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FinalDestiny13/pseuds/FinalDestiny13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there is a visit from an old friend.</p><p>Then shit goes tits up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A loud ringing echoed throughout the apartment, cellphone nearly blinding Aaron in the darkness as she glanced at whom it was, nearly growling in anger. With a press of a finger she answered it, a small part of her happy to hear the peson, the rest just plain annoyed over the fact that it was two in the morning, meaning she'd only been asleep for three hours.

"I swear to God John, I'm going to smack you the next time I see you," she grumbled tiredly, shifting beneath her covers, head buried beneath them.

A deep, familiar chuckle came from the other end. "Aye, sorry lass. You know I wouldn't call so early unless it was important. I know how much ya enjoy your sleepin'."

"Damn right you bastard." Aaron yawned loudly, making sure he heard, eyes staying closed as she continued. "So what do you need?"

"A ride for one. And a place to stay for a few days for another. If you're willing to put up with me and my shenanigans that is."

Aaron laughed. "Always am, you know that. Plus, it just means I get to wake myself up by smacking you silly."

"Apparently so," he stated, amused. "So am I going to have to walk from LAX or what?"

"Give me thirty minutes asshole. After all, you just woke me up at ass o'clock in the morning."

He laughed. "See ya soon then lass." He hung up before she could reply.

Aaron groaned as she sat up, stretching and yawning before kicking herself into gear, mumbling 'ass' beneath her breath.

\------

  
She pulled up to the curb, spotting a familiar trench coat wearing man with blonde hair, smoking a cigarette despite the no smoking sign, luggage sitting beside his feet. Aaron rolled down the passenger side window, smiling. "Excuse me sir. I'm looking for my friend. He looks like an asshole who does things he shouldn't do. Sort of like you really."

Lips quirked into a grin, tossing the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out with his boot, hand grasping his bags. "Ha ha. Very funny Ron," he said the moment he entered the car. Aaron took off once he shut the door, turning around to head back to her apartment. "You look good." John commented.

Aaron smiled genuinely, surprising the exorcist. That was a face he hadn't seen in quite awhile. "Thanks. We have much to catch up on Johnny. So much."

"Then why don't ya start?"

\------

  
"Wait, wait, wait. Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, Lord of Hell, is your soulmate?!" he shouted in disbelief. Aaron shushed him, telling him to be quiet because it was three in the morning and people actually slept unlike certain others.

"As I said three times already, yes," she replied, unlocking the door to her apartment, switching on the light as they walked in, closing the door quietly behind him and locking up. John ran a hand down his face.

"Shit Ron," he paused. "Should I send him back to Hell?"

"No!" she shouted, turning around quickly, startling the man. Holy shit she was angry at that. "He's not that bad of a guy John, Devil himself or not. He's not as bad as people are led to believe."

John held his hands up in surrender, cautious look on his face. No use in getting her worked up because then it was going to become a shouting match that Aaron would end in the end only because he would get sick of it. "Alright lass, alright. I'll believe ya. Still, I'd like to meet tha guy."

Aaron walked up to him, scowl on her face as she poked him in the chest gaining a look of amusement from the man. "No sending anyone back to Hell mister. He's entertaining to be around."

"You really like him don't you?" he asked quietly after a few moments. Aaron seemed to deflate before him.

"Yeah. Stupid, huh?" She rested her forehead on his shoulder, hand dropping to her side as she leaned against him, John wrapping his arms around her in comfort as she sought it.

"Nah. Anyone you like can't be that bad."  
  
She smiled.

\------

  
"So what kind of job are you here for this time?" Aaron asked, making pancakes for the both of them. John couldn't cook for shit, thus he was sitting at the table smoking, watching her, glass of whiskey nearby (it was five o'clock somewhere).

He was taking too long to respond, putting Aaron on edge. She flipped over the last pancake, letting it sit for a few moments before placing it on the stack of pancakes, turning the oven off. She turned around, arms crossed over her chest, biting her lip in nervousness. "John?" she prodded quietly, gaining a deep and heavy sigh from the man, smoke escaping past his lips at the exhale.

"I'm hunting for a demon named Niluhr. He's been leaving a bloody trail of corpses that lead me to here. He's hunting for someone and I want ta get him before he finds them. This one's a shape shifter so I may need your help."

So that was why he was hesitant. He hated having to involve her and her Sight, knowing how much she hated it. But for the man who saved her, she would do anything he asked and John knew it. Aaron sighed, running a hand down her face. "Do you realize how many demons run around LA, John?"

"A lot, I know. But I've been able ta narrow the search down for ya Ron." He grinned, pointing a finger to his right cheek. "I was able ta burn a cross right here on him so it should be easy to identify him for ya."

"That does narrow it down, yes, but I'm still hunting for hay in a needle stack."

"I believe it's the other way around luv."

"Nope. This one is hay in a needle stack Johnnyboy as I am going to be pestering a lot of demons just by seeing them."

"I hate ta even ask ya of this but that ability of yours is quite handy in times like these."

"Talk to someone who actually appreciates the cursed thing," she huffed, turning back around and arranging two plates with the pancakes. She made a larger stack for the exorcist, knowing he had a larger appetite than herself, which John gladly dug into the moment she sat the plate down in front of him. They discussed plans of action while they ate, settling into an old and familiar routine. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the demon is hunted and found.

A large map of LA was laid out on the table, John and Aaron standing over it. In his hand, John held a string that was wrapped around a crystal that was swinging back and forth slowly, having been dipped in the blood of the demon that John was lucky to collect from the cross he had used to burn it's face.

"Oh, come on," he muttered, both of them waiting in anticipation for a more general location to begin their search of the demon Niluhr. The crystal slowly began to glow a bright white, nearly blinding them, swinging faster, circling the map. The circle was large at first, but steadily grew smaller landing within ten miles of her apartment after fifteen minutes. The fact that it was nearby was both a relief and unsettling to Aaron. But the sooner they could locate this Niluhr, the better.

It was minutes later that the glowing crystal stopped, landing and sticking to a spot on the map, a building located six miles east from their current residence. Aaron quickly searched up the address on her phone. "Were most of the victims females or males?"

"There was some males but mostly females. Why?"

Aaron tapped the screen, enlarging the picture of the strip club. "Because our demon is here at Slut N Strut. Degrading name but a fine establishment otherwise. For a strip club anyway."

John raised an eyebrow at her in question, in slight disbelief that she had even been there. "Lisa is one of their servers so I spend some time there every now and then." Her eyes widened then, just realizing what she just said. Lisa was working tonight and if the demon was there, then her best friend was in danger, slim chances or not. John, noticing the expression on her face, let go of the string and letting the stone drop to the table, grabbing her hand instead, knowing that if he didn't drag the woman along with him, she'd run off on her own to help keep her friend safe.

After all, Aaron had done same of the same shit when it came to him years ago.

\-----

Aaron broke the speed limit at least four times on her way there, making a forty minute trip into fifteen. Every second counted when dealing with a demon on the hunt. Especially when her friend was at the location working, completely unaware of the creatures that came from the darkness. She couldn't help but think that Lucifer would be proud of her breaking the law multiple times.

John was gripping the seat harshly, surprised and a little fearful of his friend's driving, having never seen this side of Aaron before. She was determined to get there before the demon sunk it's claws into someone. 

She pulled into the parking lot, throwing the car into park, rushing out of the vehicle quickly, John right on her heels as they headed straight for the doors. She was easily able to bypass the bouncer as he recognized her as Lisa's friend, but he refused to let John in, as he looked too suspicious. Aaron argued with the bouncer that he was with her and that there was an emergency that needed their immediate attention, bouncer disbelieving of the fact but reluctantly let John in, tired of arguing with the woman, knowing if that he threw her out, Lisa would never let him hear the end of it or get him fired. Possibly both.

That took up ten vital minutes of their time, Aaron really feeling the pressure. She would have hyperventilated if it hadn't been for John's reassuring touch on her shoulder, telling her to breathe. She took his advice, inhaling as she closed her eyes and then exhaled, eyes slowly opening as she let herself truly "see," feeling like she was underwater.

She ignored the stares and protests from people as she pushed her way through the crowd, gulping in slight fear as she felt the glares of demons who sensed her piercing stare as their glamour failed before her eyes. If it weren't for John's reassuring and intimidating presence that kept the demons at bay behind her, she would be freaking out right now, feeling so exposed, knowing that demons were aware that she was one with the Sight making her a target for them to torture should they cross paths again. 

Aaron caught sight of Lisa out of the corner of her eye, making a quick check to make sure that Niluhr was nowhere near her, sighing in relief as it proved true. Moving on, she glanced at the crowd, sweeping past a group, but quickly back tracked as one man's glamour failed, revealing a cross-burnt cheek, Nihlur finally located. She made a beeline towards the demon, unaware that John got stopped by a few of the strippers roaming the floor, Nihlur turning around and catching her gaze in his own, eyes flashing yellow before taking off, heading towards the back door of the club leading to the alley way. 

Aaron followed after the demon, unaware that John was calling after her, nearly running after it. With a shove, she pushed the metal door open, running into the middle of the alleyway, only to see it empty. With a scowl, she turned around to head back inside, and screamed before all went black.

\-----

The metal door slammed open once again, John Constantine spotting nothing in the alley way, one hand running through his hair in nervousness and worry.

"Fuck."

\-----

Lucifer was socializing with the crowd, chatting up the ladies and activities that they could do together later that night when Maze interrupted him. He turned around with a smile, albeit a strained one. "Maze, I'm in the middle of conversing with these lovely ladies." They giggled like schoolgirls as he looked them over with a grin before returning his attention to the demon. 

Maze was unimpressed. "There's some guy here wanting to talk to you."

"I'm the life of the party. Of course he would want to talk to me."

Maze rolled her eyes with a sigh. "He says it's very important and that he only wants to talk to you, not a demonic bitch like me. I would have kicked him out but he's very persistent about talking about your pet human."

"The Detective?" he grinned, amused. Maybe he could find out more about Decker and a way to get her to sleep with him.

"No. The other one." Maze made sure to point a finger over his heart, causing Lucifer's grin to drop, expression now one of seriousness. She hated how that little human practically had Lucifer wrapped around her fingers without even knowing it. That Price was worse than his pet Detective. "He's waiting for you by the bar. A John Constantine."

That name certainly caught the Devil's attention. Hadn't Aaron been saved by that man from the asylum?

Lucifer excused himself, the women groaning at their loss, as he followed Maze back to the bar, spotting the man that seemed out of place in his tan trench coat and black suit. Definitely not dressed for a club such as theirs.

"So you're John Constantine. I must say I'm not that impressed," Lucifer began, taking a sip of his glass of scotch. 

John looked him up and down, frowning. This was the Devil? He figured he'd be more intimidating, more...he shook his head. That didn't matter now. What mattered was the reason why he was here in the first place. "I need your help," he admitted reluctantly. "I'm looking for a demon named Niluhr."

"What does this have to do with Ms. Price and why should I care?"

John twitched in anger but remained calm. No use in angering the one being who could really help him. "You should care because that blasted demon has her and I don't know where they are," he growled.

That certainly caught Lucifer's attention. Niluhr was up there in the torturing department. Not as good as Mazikeen but he was among the top twenty you could say. And he had Aaron? Oh hell no. That just wouldn't do. No one messed with what is his and got away with it. 

Lucifer gripped John by the arm tightly, expression hard. "Tell me everything."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Devil is pissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one enjoying this silly little series. I just hope I'm doing the characters justice. ^^
> 
> Enjoy this next one!

The first thing she felt upon awakening was that she was really cold. The next was that her limbs were strapped down to whatever cold surface she was laying upon. Eyes opened only to shut again as a bright white light made itself known. Aaron turned her head to the side and opened her eyes then only to see darkness beyond the light above her. Blinking, she glanced down at her arm, panic setting in as she found out that her clothes were gone, leaving her naked on what she discovered to be a metal table. On the other side of her she could see a table holding various instruments, tools that doctors used when performing surgeries. 

She wanted to laugh and cry hysterically, realizing that the demon wanted to take his time in torturing her. In order to make sure her friend didn't become the next victim, Aaron had gone and made herself the next target instead.

If she didn't die here (which her odds weren't that great honestly), John was sure to kill her himself for running off, unaware that he wasn't behind her anymore. Oh God, what about Lucifer? She would never see that handsome, stupid face of his again with that wicked grin and personality of his. He was so fun to be around, so charming. Oh God, she was falling for the stupid Devil and it took this for her to really realize it as she tried so hard to ignore it. Her! In love with the Devil! Laughable. Of course she could never tell the idiot how she felt. She wasn't even sure if he could feel such a thing.

_But he is_ , a part of her mind whispered. _He's still an angel and all angels are apparently capable of love. His is just more unique than others._

Bloody hell, she was arguing with herself over what Lucifer might or might not feel. She was starting to lose it.

_Breathe girl, breathe,_ she repeated mentally as she felt her breathing intensify rapidly, signaling a panic attack. _You got yourself into this situation. How are you going to get out of it?_

"Sleeping beauty awakes," a voice hissed from out of the darkness, startling Aaron. She turned her head, catching sight of the demon as he stood beside the table of tools, fingers delicately grasping a scalpel and holding it up to his eye level, inspecting it, the light glinting off the metal. "This makes it even better as I get to hear you scream." Niluhr grinned evilly, causing Aaron to shiver in fear and feel violated as he looked her up and down with his slimy gaze. 

She sounded braver than she felt. "They'll come for you and send you straight back to Hell."

Niluhr laughed. "The exorcist and what army? All he will find is you with your guts spilled out on the floor and in pieces sending him into despair over his _precious_ Sight being killed, making it that much more fun for me."

Aaron spat in his face in response, Niluhr's expression turning cold. Her head snapped to the side as he slapped her harshly, Aaron spitting out blood from her now busted lip. She turned back to stare at him, smiling, causing him to scowl. She was supposed to be terrified, pleading with him to let her go. The girl was putting on a brave front and they both knew it. Now it was his time to break her. He grinned wickedly, the silver of the scalpel glinting in the light as it neared her chest.

Aaron bit her lip in pain causing it to bleed more as he sliced open the skin. She would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream god damn it, no matter what he did.

 -----

Lucifer jerked, causing his car to swerve before righting himself as a small annoyance of pain unexpectedly popped into his chest, tongue prodding his lip to make sure it wasn't bleeding. He clenched his teeth, scowl permanently dominating his features, which set Constantine on edge. The torture had begun. He relayed this information to the exorcist reluctantly.

"Fuck," breathed John.

That didn't even begin to describe it. Lucifer was pissed at John, this situation, Aaron. Stupid woman getting herself into this situation to save her friend from being a target. So typically human of her. He was glad he had an outlet to take his anger out on, making a promise to himself that for every ounce of pain Aaron was dealt, Lucifer would deal ten times more to Niluhr before letting the exorcist send him back to where he belonged.

He pressed harder on the gas, engine rumbling loudly in response, feeling the pain begin to bloom into his chest, mind half on the road and the other half on finding her location by feeling through the bond. The more intense the pain he felt, they closer they were. 

The Devil just hoped he would get there in time.

\-----

Pain overwhelmed her body, lungs gasping heavily for air as one drowned in blood, a lone scalpel having pierced through skin, muscles, and bone to puncture it with deadly accuracy, leaving the tool stuck in place. Her chest was covered in blood, the first slice having starting from between her boobs and ending before her belly button, left open to bleed slowly. The punctured lung had been the second thing followed by the hammer, used to break her right hand and fingers. Now, now Niluhr was starting to slice open the old wounds on her wrists, intent on having her bleed out it seemed. 

A sudden buzzing had her looking from the dark ceiling to the demon, barely reacting to the fact that he had turned on the bone saw. Oh goodie. She was going to get cut into pieces while still aware of it. She giggled deliriously at the fact, starting to lose it. She blinked slowly as the bone saw neared her right shoulder, completely unaware of a loud banging as a door flew off it's hinges into the darkened warehouse.

Niluhr paused with a frown, turning around only to drop the saw in surprise as a hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him into the air causing him to choke. "Y-You're...!"

"Lucifer!" Aaron giggled before coughing and gasping, blood spilling past her lips. 

The Devil took one look at her before turning to Niluhr with a deep and dark growl, face shifting into something more dark and dangerous causing the demon to quake in fear as brown eyes flashed a brilliant bright red. "Take care of her Constantine. I have work to do," Lucifer growled with a grin causing Niluhr to pale even further as he was tossed into the darkness with a scream, Lucifer stalking him slowly, disappearing into the darkness as well with a sadistic and evil grin. 

Ignoring the Devil, John ran to Aaron, paling at what he saw. "Oh lass, ya fool," he muttered, taking off his coat and ripping it into pieces to tie up her wrists before releasing her restraints, using the rest of his coat to cover her up and put pressure on her wounds, causing her to cry out. 

"It hurts Johnny," she cried.

He shushed her, one bloody hand grabbing his phone from out of his suit jacket and dialing for an ambulance. "You'll be fine Ron. Just stay with me."

"I don't want to die. Not yet." They both ignored the piercing screams of fear from the surrounding darkness accompanied by a bone chilling laughter. 

John got a stern look on his face, relaying information to the dispatcher quickly as they answered before hanging up. "You're not going to die luv. Not if we have anything to do with it." 

She raised a shaky and bloody hand to weakly grasp his own that was putting pressure on her chest, blinking wearily. "I'm really...tired."

That alarmed John. "No, no lassie! Stay awake! Help will be here soon. Morningstar!" he called to the now silent darkness. 

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. She blinked, Lucifer having suddenly taken John's spot as the exorcist went to go send the broken, beaten, bloody, and terrified demon back to Hell. Lucifer's hands were now covered in her blood as he held the wound closed, a pained expression on his face now. "Sorry," she whispered, spitting out blood.

"For what?"

She exhaled slowly, eyes closing briefly before opening them again to stare at him. "This," she breathed. 

A hand brushed her cheek, forehead resting upon hers. "You bloody fool," he whispered angrily.

She laughed weakly, trying to make light of the current situation. "That I am." She stopped though when she sensed, no, felt his anger through the bond among other emotions, panic being one. Was that her own or his? She was too tired to tell. Ah, there was alarm, was it? 

"No no! My Father has to wait for you yet. I am not letting you go!" he growled, smacking her cheek lightly as the edge of her vision started to turn black.

_Lucifer_.... was her last thought before the world faded away once again.  


End file.
